Shakespeare still in love

With eager eyes, he closes in upon his prey, as she turns away with a coy smile.

In the film he got the girl. But yesterday William Shakespeare still appeared to have his work cut out in wooing Lady Viola.

The delightful reprise of their 1998 pairing was given by Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow at the Globe Theatre in London yesterday as the stars of Shakespeare in Love were reunited for an audience in love with Shakespeare.

Fiennes and Miss Paltrow, whose on- screen chemistry helped win seven Oscars for the film, were among a string of big names brought together for a charity gala in aid of the Prince's Trust.

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were guests of honour at the event.

Slipping through a side door into the recreated arena, they sat in a specially constructed royal box to watch the allstar cast deliver their favourite lines from the Bard's repertoire.

Camilla, dressed in a stylish cream suit, sat one seat away from Charles, with a woman believed to be an official of the Prince's Trust between them.

But the high-profile appearance was seen as another step along the road to public acceptance for Camilla.

'She was greeted very warmly by the crowd and both of them appeared to enjoy every minute,' said an observer.

While Miss Paltrow, who attended with her rock star boyfriend, Coldplay star Chris Martin, played it for laughs with Fiennes during rehearsals, they took their performance rather more seriously, each delivering a speech from Romeo and Juliet, which featured heavily in the film.

Other contributors were Dame Diana Rigg, Paul Scofield, Timothy West and Michael Pennington.

Scofield and West presented an excerpt from The Tempest while Dame Diana performed a speech from As You Like It.

A source close to the production said: 'Getting a lineup like this on stage together is a real coup. But even with such a cast Gwyneth and Joseph still managed to steal the show.'